Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-26

But Mrs. Cleveland evidently intends TO
keep up with the peoples procession She
saws she never feels tired from shaking
hands. either at the time or afterwards, no
matter how great the number of guests she
greets. She laughed over a recent para
graph in a New York paper which report
ed her as completely exhausted after n
of her three-hegr ordeals Of hand shaking
A friend who was rather surprised at her
powers of endurance, remarked TO Mrs.
Cleveland that she had even equaled the
great hand shaking feats OF her husband,
as she had shaken hands with 32s people
BY actual count, in an hour lately. "les."
she answered, of course I could not allow
him to get ahead Of nae
The past week in congress has not been
one of great importance in Legislative mat
tiers, but both houses OF congress have dis
cussed questions OF wide national interest,
and the t~ranscendent subject Of tariff leg
islation has been settled, at least so far as
the action Of the present congress is con-
cernad. From the formal correspondence
between Massrs. Carlisle and Randall it is
evident that the efforts of those who wish
to reduce the revenue will be futile.
Neither party will concede q point, and
it j is plain that their correspondence has
had for its object to define the attitude OF
the respective factions before the public,
and was not written with the hope OF
reaching a basis for tariff Legislation.
The relegation Of tariff legislation to the
future brings up the question Of an extra
session Of congress. idle money is accum-
ulating in the national Golfer at the re
msrkable rate Of 800, 100000 a year, and
the American voter, whether democrat or
republican, does not need to be a financier
to know that it is not business like to hoard
so much dead capital. An extra session
will doubtless be called possibly soon at
ter the adjournment Of the present con-
gress, but it is my opinion in political cir
cIes that the extra session will not be con
yened until the first Of October.
There is much speculation as to whom
the president will appoint railroad com
missioners under the provision of the in
ter state bill. Many have cal
led themselves to Washington, but only
five can be chosen. The president is very
much harrassed with the opportunities Of
applicants, many Of whom are men of
such influence and distinction that their
suits cannot be wholly ignored. Mr..
Cleveland doubtless regrets that congress
In passing the bill did not make a provis-
ion that this commission should be chosen
under civil service rules and by compem-
tative examination.
It is said that Colonel Morrison has
been offered the Craftsmanship of the com
| mission, also that he has been offered the
secretaryship Of the treasury department,
which Nj. Manning is expected to resign
in the early spring. Many other things
are said and denied but they have nc
denser consistency than rumor and | will
not repeat them.
Notwithstanding the closeness of the
final hour of this session it is believed by
many that congress will pass a bill chang
ing Inauguration day Hyperborean 4th of
March to the Madrigal 18th of April.
There are, perhaps, not less than one hun
dred bald headed members and senators
of the present congress with presidentials
bees buzzing in their -bonnets. To them
the vision of riding down the avenue, bare
headed, from the white House to the cap
itol on a windy fourth Of March is not an
agreeable episode in their political air
castles. They will form q powerful nue.
leus for the passage of the bill and what
ever may be their motive, the country and
humanity will be benefited If the propos-
ed bill becomes a law. Its passage must
be in the nature of an amendment to the
constitution. and therefore must be ratiti-
ed by the legislative assemblies of two
thirds of the states. Hence the importance
Of passing it the present session, in order
that it may be in time to receive ratiiica-
ton and take effect with the inauguration
Of the president on the thirteenth of April
1889. The passage of such a bill would
be of great benefit to the country, in that
it would protract the short session of con-
gress, which now adjourns IN the fourth
OF March.
The country has grown 50 great, its in
teres.s have become SO complex, that the
limited legislative term, appointed by the
founders, is now too brief. Of course it
will be urged by some smart and original